Travel Mates

A trip is completed, if trips are ever complete!

433 days. 15 months. 7 countries. 2 flights. More than 35 thousand kilometers by land… on foot, by bus, train, boat, bike, motorbike… hitchhiking, in public transport, tractors, on the roof of buses, on ferries and boats, by bicycle, on shared bikes, in trucks, taxis and jeeps, in cars and vans, tuk-tuks and rickshaws!

Many trips, many pathways: some solitary, others accompanied. Mates that lasted for hours, days, or extending over weeks or months. Unexpected and spontaneous encounters. Mismatches.

Cities remain, large and small, capitals or just villages, some already forgotten, some so striking and unforgettable: the intense and seductive Phnom Penh, the vicious Vientiane, a Bangkok full of contrasts, heavy and decadent Varanasi, charming Pondicherry, the muslim Srinagar, and above of all the frantic and exciting Kathmandu.

What remains forever in my memory are the desert landscapes of Ladakh, the aridity of the Tibetan plateau, the paradise beaches of an island in the south of Cambodia, the Himalayas and the sight of Annapurna, endless rice fields of Laos, the fantastic blue sky of Sishuan, the brown waters of the Mekong, Thai forests, the smiles of Burma. The dry and cold air from the mountains of Leh, the hot and humid atmosphere of the Indian monsoon, the scorching heat of Rajasthan, the gray clouds of thunderstorms that last for hours, the warm waters of the Gulf of Thailand, magical sunsets, mystic sunrises, a sky decorated with stars and a moon the size of the world…

But most of all were the people. People that gave precious help. People who were forever associated with places, cities, routes, experiences… landscapes… moments. People who left their contacts, others not even their name. Some remarkable people, others forever forgotten.

Aurelie Crouzat

Thank You !! I started to learn portuguese by reading your blog 🙂
And always loved it ! It was great meeting you on the road, you are always welcome if you travel by Paris…I believe you are now back but if you want to keep on visiting the world…you are more than welcome here !! Big hugs Madame la globe-trotteuse 🙂

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